Chromosomal studies of the African dotted catfish Parauchenoglanis monkei (Keilhack 1910)

Abstract

The chromosomal data within the genus Parauchenoglanis is scarce. The two main species of the genus identified in Nigeria are P. buttikoferi and P. monkei. The chromosome of P. monkei was assessed in this study to provide information on the diploid number and karyotype. Samples (n=40) were collected in Opa River, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria. The chromosomes of the specimen were extracted using the Giemsa staining technique. The mitotic chromosome spread has a diploid chromosome number of 2n=50. The autosomal fundamental number was 55, while the karyotype formula was 2n=2M+ 8m+40T. The diploid chromosome number of 50 obtained for P. monkei is within the range for catfishes.